Illegal logging: 1,105 cases recorded in 2023 in Georgia
The Georgian National Forestry Agency on Monday said 1,105 cases of illegal logging and timber transportation were registered in Georgia in 2023. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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The Georgian National Forestry Agency on Monday said 1,105 cases of illegal logging and timber transportation were registered in Georgia in 2023.
The body added up to 1,500 cubic metres of illegally harvested timber were seized by relevant state agencies.
Unregistered sawmills are also among violators of the law. Violations that contained signs of criminal offences were forwarded to the relevant agencies for further action”, the Agency said.
The figures also show 31 cases of violation of technical regulations at sawmills, and three unregistered sawmills seized by the Environmental Supervision Department of the body.
Kakha Kakabadze, the Deputy Minister of Environment Protection and Agriculture, said implementation of “effective state control” on use of natural resources, and detection and prevention of illegal use, was “one of the main priorities” of the Ministry.
Georgia's State Sub-Agency Department of Environmental Supervision on Wednesday said its inspectors had identified cases of illegal felling and transportation of conifer trees in Adjara and Shida Kartli regions of the country ahead of the festive period.
The Georgian National Forestry Agency on Monday said it was tightening control over illegal tree felling and sale ahead of the holiday season.
Georgia's State Sub-Agency Department of Environmental Supervision on Monday said nine illegal sawmills had been identified last month in the western Georgian regions of Imereti and Samegrelo.
The Parliament of Georgia on Thursday discussed and approved amendments aimed to reduce illegal logging, increase quality and competitiveness of Georgian wine, and combine the system of geographical indications for domestic products with the corresponding European Union structure.
Illegal forest felling, violations of forest legislation, transportation of timber and violations of technical regulations by sawmills were among environmental infringements identified by state supervision across Georgia over the past year.